Garment stretching and pressing device



4 543 I. 8 1 729., w m, a WM M w. w 7 W r n fl r 2 w a r fl & H M m H.D. FORSE GARMENT STRETCHING AND PRESSING DEVICE Feb. 20, 1951 Filed NOV.29, 1945 Feb. 20, 1951 H. D. FORSE 2,542,918

GARMENT STRETCHING AND PRESSING DEVICE Filed No). 29, 1945 sSheets-Sheet 2 P1.3 ""FI.5

Feb. 20, 1951 sE 2,542,918

GARMENT STRETCHING AND PRESSING DEVICE Filed NOV. 29, 1945 I5Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. flfikk/ D. 277x55.

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Patented Feb. 20, 1951 OFFICE GARMENT STRETCHING AND PRESSING DEVICEHarry B. Forse, Anderson, Ind. Application November 29, 1945, Serial No.631,818

i This invention relates to a press structure for shirts and othergarments and, by way of illustratien, it may be adapted for trouserpressing,

et'c. Herein, however, it is illustrated, by way of example only, asembodied in a shirt or like press.

The ch ef object is to provide a back or the like upon which a shirt bepieced and when placed, it is stretched or smoothed and when devoid ofwrinkles it is pressed or ironed both front and back, as well as creasedfor folding, and between cooperating, heated, cavity providing heads.

Qne chief feature of the present invention resides in applying ironingpressure to the garment by book expansion in the head cavity;

A further chief feature of the invention resides in the automaticsequence of operations and the interlocking relationship therebetween.

Another feature of the present invention resides applying transversepressure to a garment to stretch same.

Qther objects and features of the invention will be set forth more fullyhereinafter.

The toll nature of the invention will be understood frorntheaccompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

in the drawings 1 Fig. l is a front elevation of the buck with a shirtomitted therefrom. v

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of such buck.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the major portions of the press in apartially open position.

Fig. i is a 's'nnilar view with parts in the closed or "pressingposition, parts being broken away to Show same and other parts in"section.

Fig. '5 is a diagrammatic elevationalview illustrating the several partsand the interlocks associated therewith, the envelope being omitted.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line G--6 of Fig; and inthe direction of the arrows.

is a schematic or diagrammatic eleva tie'n'al 'view of the presscontrols.

Fig. 8 is a schematic or diagrammatic view of the three valve mechanismsin the normal pest ti'on where-in the press is locked closed;

Fig. 9 is a similar View of the same valve system and corresponding towhen the buck is in exposed or elevated position for garment applicationand removal.

In Fig. l of the drawings It indicates an elohgated fairly thin barmember with rounded corners its; Extending upwardly therefrom are twoparallel tubes or cylinders H which are 24 Claims. (01. eat-57) closedat their up er ends at fl la. Within each tube I 1 and positioned nearthe upper end is a centrally ported piston l2 carried by tubular rod I 3which extends throu h and is "sli'daloly associated with bearing It intheb'ar member It! or more specifically in the cylinder 11 at the lowerend thereof.

Extending upwardly from plate I111 are ears.

l5 which pivotally support the names angular ends it of tubular rods l3,Same having a coin"- mon conne'ction to a pressure supply and releaseline I1. It will be obvious that when pressure is applied to the twocylinders which are crossconnected at I8, the bar member to raisedrelative to plate 110 and when the pressure is released the plate ispositioned as shown in Fig.1.. This corresponds to the pressing positionwhile the buck elevated position corresponds to the garment laying inapplying and removing posiion.

Pivoted at I9 on the cylinders fire me nuts 2!! directed outwardly.Pivoted at 21 on the cylind'ers are two links 22 which have their;adjacent inner ends pivoted together at 23 and to a slide member 24. Tothe outer ends of links 20 and .22

at 25 and 26, respectively, are pivotally connected the members 28 andcarried thereby are the l'o'flgated Wire me b'ifs 21 with inturrredcurved ends A spring 29 is interposed between each of the links 20 andthe bar mem er ID and these springs accordingly tend to draw the wiremembers 21 in wardly towards one another. When plate 24 ratene'cted tolinks 22 is depressed the members 2] are caused to separate laterally inopposition to springs 2.5L I

N'arthe ripper end of this buck structdre are two outwardly anddownwardly iholined members 3,9 broadly similar to members 21-48.Extending across the upper portions of cylinders H and secured theretois the plate 3|, see Figs. 1, 2 and s. secur d to plate 3| s the collarform member 32, see Figs. 1, 5 and 6, which is hollow or chambered as at33, see Fig. 5. 4}

Extending forwardly iroi'r'i in'einbersflil are arms 35, see Fig. 5,which have angular extensions 35 mounting pins 3'6 in their lower innerends. Carried. by foiin member 32; and if desired by plate 31 as Well,is a shaft 38.15% Figs. 4 and 6; rigid with which; in chamber 33-, is acam xterm ber 39. A crossbar 49, see Fig. 5, has tangential contact withcam 39.

The crossbar at has an oppositely directed spring centering projection41 seating in one end of a compression spring .42. The collar form 32 at43 has a, similar projection seating in the opposite end of said spring42. This spring normally tends to force crossbar 40 upwardly and is compressed when the shaft 38 is rotated and the crossbar is forceddownwardly by the cam 39.

The lower adjacent ends of arms 35 mount pins 36 that ride inlongitudinally directed slots 45 in the ends of the said mechanism isaforesaid. Shaft 38 wheel 46, see Figs.

crossbar 48. All of the aforeenclosed in the collar form is tubular andmounts hand- 5 and 6. As the hand-wheel is turned from the cam loweredposition, the.

spring forces crossbar 46 upwardly for outward and upward projection ofmembers 30. Obviously a reverse power application may be employed whendesired, that is, spring means may be used to retract members 38 whilecam 39 would I be utilized to force said members 36 upwardly.

Extending through tubular shaft 38 and into the buck is a shaft 41Whi0hon its outer end mounts a hand-wheel 48 which shaft on its inner endmounts a cam member 49. This cam engages roller or follower 55 carriedby slideor plate 24. This is the side extension control plate. Thelatter may be slotted longitudinally as at 5I and a follower 52, carriedby said plate 3 I, rides in said slot 5|.

As noted, .see Fig. 1, two longitudinally aligned slots are provided andtwo pin followers 52 are provided. For convenience, same are disposedupon plates 24 and 3| respectively, as illustrated, but they may bereversed. This dual connection prevents lateral displacement of thecontrol plate when cam actuated. 7

When the hand-wheel 48 is turned, the cam 49, engaging follower 58,forcesplate 24 downwardly which through the links 22, pivoted at 23 tosaid plate 24, forces the members 21-28 outwardly since same with links26 and cylinders I I form a pair of parallel motion devices with anincluded dual toggle mechanism. Springs 29 also as described tend todraw members 21-28 together and thus tend to oppose cam extension ofsaid members.

Obviously the cam-spring action maybe oppositely operable by a suitablereversal of parts. Herein the side members are cam extensible and springretractible and the shoulder members are spring extensible and camretractible. Both, however, may be of like type, etc.

Surrounding the. side members Z'I-28 and shoulder members 38 and theside member actuating means, the cylinders II and the plate 3! is 'acomparatively light thin rubber-like envelope that is very flexible.This is a sealed bag, I52 and a conduit 53, see Fig. 1, to the base I8is arranged to supply air pressure to the bag to blow up same. When thepressure is released the bag collapses.

In operation, so far as the foregoing structure is concerned, a shirt isslipped upon the buck and the collar buttoned or the neck band isclipped together. Also, the front adjacent edges are suitably secured.Both of these means are omitted for clearness.

Herein-the buck has shoulder extensions 54 to project slightly into thesleeves of the shirt at the shoulder. When theshirt'is thus mounted thehand-wheels '48 and 46 are actuated to stretch the shirt sidewardly andvertically so that the shirt then is substantially devoid of wrinklesand creases.

As shown in Fig. 2, each of the side edges, defined 'by wires 2'! andeach of the shoulder edges, definedby bars 20, has a comparatively typeor fiat, see also a tension spring sharp formation, so that the. shirtwhen pressed is precreased for folding when removed from the 'buckfollowing the pressing operation. The sleeves, collar and cuffs may beironed or pressed in the usual manner.

Reference will now be had more particularly to Figs. 3 and 4 and thelower portion of Fig. 1. Therein I I Ii indicates the main plate andextending upwardly therefrom are two confronting head members and 6 I.The former is of cavity type, see 66a in Fig. 4. The latter may be ofthe same Fig.4. However, it is notched a at62 to freelyv nest and exposethe collar form 32. Such notching permits the handwheels 46 and 48 to bepositioned outwardly of the head 6| for adjustment and clearancepurposes.

Each of the heads is chambered and supplied with steam for heating same.and this is continuously supplied during normal pressing operation.These heads, if desired, may be electrically heated.

Head 66 is shown rigid with plate I III a at 63, see Figs. 3 and 4. Head6| includes ears 64, pivoted at 65 to cars 66 carried by plate III]. Itwill be remembered that the buck is slidably associated with piston rodsI3 and the lateral ends I are pivoted on plate III by the ears I5.Herein there extends rearwardly from the buck, see Figs. 3and 4, andmore particularly portions I6 thereof, the arm I66. A spring 61 normallyconstrains the buck to clockwise tilted position, the extreme tilt beingdetermined by plate carried stop'68. This position is shown in Fig. 3.

Head M has ear 69 projecting forwardly and 16 between it and the baseIII) tends to tilt said head clockwise to the press open position, seeFig. 3. No additional stop is required since the following describedstructure serves as same.

Plate II 0 includes an ear 1| which at I2 pivotally supports the head I3of cylinder 14. Therein is piston I5 carried by upwardly and rearwardlydirected rod I6. This rod extends through the other cylinder head 73aclampingly connected to the other end of said cylinder.

Pivoted at 1! on each side of lever I8 having one end pivoted at I8 to across member 19a, see'Figs. 3 and 4, carried by the upper end of thepiston rod I6. Each lever I8 extends rearwardly from pivot I1 andincludes a catch portion and a cam free end portion 8I. Head 60 at eachside includes a locking roller 82. Springs 83 connected between leversI8 and cylinder head 13a or the plate IIU if desired, serve totiltlevers I8, 88 and BI upon pivots I1 when pressure is released fromsaid cylinder. viously, two cylinders I4, etc., may be employed whendesired.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the headsare separated and the buck can 'be elevated by air pressure supplied tocylinders II. A shirt then is buck mounted as previously described andstretched as described.- Then buck elevating cylinder pressure isreleased whereupon the buck lowers by gravity until the buck ispositioned between the two heads 6!) and BI. Then, and only then, is airpressure cylinder I4 and rod I6 elevated from the position 1n Flg. 3 tothat shown in Fig. 4 to close the heads about the buck.

In such elevation the two cam locks, one. at each side and straddlinghead 60, cause portion 88 to seat roller 82. At this time the'buck isnested within the heads the head 6! is a and near the end thereofcharacter that while lever 90 is in holding or pressure applyingposition levers 9| f and 92 can not be actuated to open their respectiveintake valves. 1

It will be apparent that if plate III] is at floor level, the buck, whenelevated, will be about chest height so a' shirt can be readily-liftedupwardly therefrom and another pulled downwardly thereon. Wheneverdesired or necessary there may be provided a suitable clamp not shownand the same would be carried by the buck and would be used with ashoulder stretching means herein disclosed.

It is equally obvious that the stretching and creasing members 2T-28 and30 each may be divided. One part then can be positioned exteriorly ofthe bag or envelope and the other part can be positioned within same orboth without or within the same. Also, if desired, all of member 38, asherein illustrated, may be positioned exteriorly of the bag. When suchis the case no part of member 39 passes through the bag. I Whenpositioned interiorly, however, portion 34 passes through the bag, asdescribed.

The connections at the point where portion 34 passes through the bag andwhere the shaft 47 enters the bag are rendered leakproof. Thesestretching members are preferably thin flexible members so that they canconform to the garment as well as crease the same in the pressingoperation.

The members 9|,f and 92 may be maintained in pressure supplying positiononly so long as the lever member 90 is in exhaust open position. If thelever 99 is moved to pressure supplying position wherein the right endof that member is depressed, the cable is drawn taut to overpower thebiasing springs of the members 93 and 94 and they are rotated out ofoperating position, whereupon the valve biasing springs Big and 929'function to close the pressure supplying side and open the exhaust sideof valves B and C.

In order that the operation of the pivoted member 99f may be facilitateda treadle 98 is connected thereto by a link member 9'! so that operablemovement of the treadle 98 causes like movement of the member 90 Thetreadle 98 and link member 91 are biased upwardly by a spring 99.Inasmuch as this upwardly biased position is the normal position of thetreadle 98 it follows that a like position of the member 99f in whichthe exhaust valve is open and the inlet valve is closed is the normalposition of valve A. Thus with the member 99 in its counterclockwiselimit or normal position tension on the cables I and liil is reduced sothat the biasing springs of the members 93 and 94 position those membersto open the pressure supply side and close the exhaust side of thevalves B and C with which they are associated. Consequently, then thenormal position of the device when under pressure is its locked upposition.

Assume now that the device is to be put into operation. The treadle 98is depressed thereby rotating the member 99 clockwise, which tightensthe cables I89 and [0| and rotates the members 93 and '98 intoinelfective positions. Upon such rotation the biasing spring 92g causesthe valve 0 to operate to deflate the buck; the biasing spring 9Igcauses the valve B to exhaust the pressure in cylinder 14, whereupon theheads are unlocked and head 6| moved to open position;

and the clockwise rotation of member 90f causes valve A to supply thecylinders H with pressure thereby moving the buck to extended position.7

As long as the pedal 98 is maintained in its depressed position fluidpressure cannot be sup-,

plied to the buck through valve C or to the cylinder 14 through valve B.Even though the buck descends, through accident or leakage, to itsretracted position between the heads, the rocking members 9 If and 92will not be rotated to operate l their associated valves to supplypressure as long as the treadle 98 is depressed and the cables I90 and[BI hold the members 93 and 94 in inactive positions.

Now while the treadle 98 is maintained in depressed position, as by adetent not shown, and the buck is extended, a shirt is positionedthereon and adjusted for pressing. The adjustment of the shirt includesthe arrangement of the neck band 'or collar on the collar form and amanipulation of the hand wheels 46 and 48 to position the members 28 and39 so as to smooth and stretch it as desired. When the adjustment iscompleted the pedal 98 is released and the spring 99 promptly moves itto its upper limit position. The movement of the treadle is accompaniedby like movement of the rocking arm 99 which closes the pressure supplyside of valve A and opens the exhaust side thereof whereuponthecylinders II are exhausted and the buck descends to its retractedposition between the heads 6!! and 6 I.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detailin the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be consideredas illustrative and not-restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein, as well as others which willreadily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all areconsidered to be within the broad scope of the invention, referencebeing had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a garment press having a pair of con-v 1 fronting separable,heated,

garment pressing members, the combination of an expansible andreciprocable buck, means for moving the buck" into and out ofregistration with and from said members, means for locking the memberstogether with the buck included therebetween, means for expanding theincluded buck into simultaneous engagement with both members for garmentpressing, and means operable only when the members are locked togetherwith the buck disposed therebetween for controlling the expanding means.

2. A press of the character defined byclaim 1 wherein the expansiblebuck includes a pressure expansible envelope and a non-conformingsupporting, skeleton-type frame. 7

3. In a garmentpress having a pair of confronting heated, garmentpressing heads relatively movable 'to open and closed positions, thecom-,

bination of a inflatable, extensible buck disposed for reciprocationinto and out of registration with and between the heads, means formoving said heads towards and away from each other, means for'extendingthe buck for initial stretching of a garment thereon, means forinflating the buck for garment pressing, and means controlling saidinflating means and operable only when the deflated buck is disposedbetween the heads and confined thereby, which is when said heads arepositioned immediately adjacent each other.

4. In a garment press having a pair of confronting heated, garmentpressing heads, a buck support therebetween at all times, a buckslidable on the support and movable in one direction thereon betweensaid heads and for registration therewith in an opposite direction frombetween said heads, mechanism effecting pressing pressure between theheads, and a control device for said mechanism for effecting pressingand governed by said buck when the buck is registered between the heads.

5. A press of the character defined by claim 4 wherein additional meansis provided for locking the heads together, the said mechanism efiectingpressing pressure between the heads including an inflatable structuregoverned by said control device.

6. A press of the character defined by claim 5 wherein an interlockdevice is provided between the head locking means and the saidmechanism.

7. A press of the character defined by claim 3, wherein locking meanssecures the heads together with the buck therebetween, and an interlockdevice is interposed between said looking means and the buck inflatingmeans.

8. A press of the character defined by claim 4, wherein power means isprovided to effect buck sliding and an interlock device is interposedbetween the buck sliding means and the pressing pressure effectingmechanism.

9. A press of the character defined by claim 8, wherein means isprovided for locking the heads together, the pressing pressure beingeffected by inflation, the interlock device preventing locking meansactuation until the buck is registered between the heads and preventinginflation until the heads are locked together.

10. A press of the character defined by claim 4, wherein means isprovided for locking the heads together and the pressing pressure iseffected by inflation, and buck carried members for stretching thegarment on the buck prior to pressing.

11. A press of the character defined by claim 4, wherein means isprovided for locking the heads together, the pressing pressure beingeffected by inflation, an interlock device interposed between thelocking means and the pressing pressure efmeans for the buck, and

fecting mechanism, and buck carried members for stretching the garmenton the buck prior to pressing.

12. A press of the characted defined by claim 8, wherein the buckmovably supports members for stretching the garment on the buck prior topressing.

13. A press of the character defined by claim 9 wherein the buck movablysupports members for stretching the garment on the buck prior to press-14. A press of the character defined by claim 4 wherein means isprovided for locking the heads together and the pressing pressure iseffected by inflation, and buck carrier members for stretching thegarment on the buck prior to pressing, the buck being of inflatablecharacter and connected to the pressure effecting mechanism forinflation for pressing.

15. A press of the character defined by claim 14, wherein an interlockdevice is interposed between the locking means and the pressing pressureeffecting mechanism.

16. A press of the character defined by claim 8 wherein the buck movablysupports members for stretching the garment on the buck prior topressing, the buck being of inflatable character and connected to thepressure effecting mechanism for inflation for pressing.

1'7. A press of the character defined by claim 16 wherein means isprovided for locking the heads together and the pressing pressure iseffected by inflation.

18. In a garment press, the combination of opposed pressing heads and apressing buck for positioning therebetween, said buck including atopposite sides outwardly and oppositely extensible members and at theshoulder portions of the buck outwardly and oppositely extensiblemembers and manually operable, buck exposed means for actuating each ofsaid members.

19. A garment press as defined by claim 18, wherein the buck includes askeleton frame work and an inflatable envelope thereabout andstretchable with said extending means.

20. A garment press as defined by claim 18 wherein the buck includes aninflatable envelope, the opposite sides adjacent the side edges: beingcomparatively thin.

21. In a garment press buck structure the combination of a skeletonframework, including elongated cylinder means, a buck base, and anenvelope secured thereto, piston rod support piston means carried by thesupport means and slidably associated with the base and cylinder meansfor sliding the buck relative to the support means.

22. A buck structure as defined by claim 21, wherein there is providedenvelope stretching means, manually operable means carried by theframework, and means operable thereby for actuating the stretchingmeans.

23. A buck structure as defined by claim 21, wherein there is providedenvelope stretching means, manually operable means carried by theframework, and means operable thereby for actuating the stretchingmeans, the last mentioned means including parallel motion mechanismoperatively associated with the cylinder and stretching means forsimultaneous stretching at opposite sides of the buck.

24. A buck structure as defined by claim 21, wherein there is providedenvelope stretching means, manually operable means carried by theframework, and means operable thereby for actuating the stretchingmeans, the last mentioned means including a cam and follower operablemeans actuable in one direction and spring means acting in oppositionthereto.

HARRY D. FORSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,995,093 Clare Mar. 19, 19352,022,176 Baldwin Nov. 26, 1935 2,126,577 Rawlinson Aug. 9, 19382,241,373 Rawlinson May 6, 1941 2,378,565 Locke et al June 19, 1945

